1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for securely restraining cargo during transport, and in particular, to a device for securely restraining a load of cargo to prevent movement thereof which could result in damage.
2. Background of the Invention
Unless a cargo load is adequately secured within its vehicular carrier, motion of the vehicle, especially including acceleration and deceleration of same, tends to move or shift the cargo with consequent damage to same, and often as well, damage to the carrier. Heretofore, shippers have generally found it necessary to rely on banding, blocking, or bracing to secure the cargo load and provide for its integrity. Such practices, however, are not only time-consuming to install and costly, but also rely heavily on individual judgment for their adequacy.
Certain types of hazardous cargo, notably munitions, are of particular concern; they must be securely restrained during transport to avoid accidental detonations caused by jarring, or inadvertent physical contact between portions of the cargo.
Within the last several years, a new class of devices have come into use which are generally useful in restraining loads of cargo during transport. These are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,147,112 and 4,317,645, each assigned to the assignee of the present application.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,112, issued to Green et al, thus relates to a cargo support or retainer which endeavors to avoid banding, blocking, or bracing of palletized cargo loads, by providing a substantially L-shaped frame, wherein the lower horizontal member which contacts the floor is provided with a plurality of "anti-skid" spikes to resist movement of the palletized load during transport.
A further such cargo restraining device is disclosed in said U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,645 issued to James Van Gompel. In this deice, an elongated floor contacting member is provided with an upwardly facing load-bearing surface, the member being adapted to project forwardly beneath a portion of the cargo load. A generally upright member is secured to the floor contacting member in spaced relation from the forward end of the floor contacting member for engaging with the cargo load, and a floor piercing element is movably mounted on the floor contacting member adjacent to the rearward end thereof. The floor piercing element is normally disposed to pierce the floor when the floor contacting member of the restraining device is under load in service, and is movable to a position incapable of piercing the floor when the restraining device is out of service. Like the device disclosed in the Green et al patent, this device is intended to resist movement of the palletized load during transport.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,900 to Carlson, also describes a device for use in the transport, handling and storage of materials. This device has a base portion and a first wall portion, either of which may be utilized in the lifting and transporting of the device. A pair of opposed spaced side panels are provided between the base portion and the first wall portion, for confining and protecting the material on said device.
These devices, while suitable for the transport of cargo requiring no special handling, can afford less than satisfactory safeguards against movement of portions of the cargo relative to one another which might result in damage to, or destruction of the cargo. A particular problem is thus presented where the height of the load is such as to not match reasonably well with the overall height of the device. Under such circumstances the banding used to secure the load to the restraining device may not be snugly fitted to the load, thereby permitting a degree of shifting--which can be particularly dangerous with hazardous loads such as munitions.